Themed kids bedrooms and why they’re really okay

Recently I shared how I’m kinda over all of these decorating rules, and one of them that I’m really over is the “no-no” regarding themed kids bedrooms. In the design world, the school of thought regarding themed kids rooms seems to be that you don’t want to go too theme-y in their rooms because they change their minds so much that you end up having to redecorate their rooms a lot, and who has the time or money for that?

That just makes me shake my head. Because no designer changes their mind with decor or design in the rest of the house, right?

Honestly, most of these designers saying that are folks who regularly redecorate the rest of their house with rugs or couches that would cost triple what an entire kids room redo would cost.

Time wise, redecorating a kids room, as long as there isn’t major construction involved *suspended loft bed* doesn’t take that long. Doesn’t take any longer than continually redecorating the rest of the house. In fact, it can be really quick and easy-plus budget friendly!

I know not everyone is a designer or has the time or budget to redo a kids room every couple of years, so I’ve included my tips to help with the budget and time aspects of themed kids bedrooms below.

So why all of the hate towards themed kids bedrooms from designers if it’s not a time or money issue then?

Maybe because they think the end results aren’t as unique or clever as what they can otherwise design. Maybe they just don’t think a themed kids room will fit in with the design esthetic of the rest of their home.

Also, a Paw Patrol pic won’t look as good on Instagram. They aren’t going to get shared or go viral like a pic that looks like it was designed for the Ikea catalog would 🤷‍♀️

I said on I think my very first post…my boys rooms are never going to be Pinterest stars. I let them decorate their rooms how they want to. Beau’s room redo, which is just about done, is super theme-y. And there are tons of posters just taped on the walls. The red walls photograph terribly!

This is under his new loft bed.

It’s never going to blow up Pinterest or the rest of the internet and I doubt it will get as many likes on Insta as a peony pic I posted recently. But I’m good with that- that wasn’t the point, anyway.

So my advise to you, if you’ve been considering a themed kids bedroom for your little one but are worried because you keep seeing it listed as a design mistake- it’s fine. If you want to do it, do it!

There are some things you can do to help make themed kids bedrooms a little easier on the budget:

*Affiliate links included.

The drawback with doing a themed kids room is that you probably will end up changing things in a couple of years. If you like to redecorate and don’t mind spending the money and time, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But what if you don’t have the desire, or budget, to redo your kids room every couple of years, but still want to give them the themed room they want?

1- Start with a neutral wall color. Paint is inexpensive in the grand scheme of things, but it’s probably still going to cost around $100 to cover a bold color, and it is a time investment. That said, Beau has had his bold red walls for almost 3 years now and had no desire to change them with his room redo. And W, my oldest, has had lime green walls for the same amount of time and still loves them.

-OR-

2-Give them a bold wall color in the theme that they like, but take it easy on buying new items to decorate with. Use stuff you (likely) already have in that theme.

This is the option we chose with Beau’s room when we moved in almost 3 years ago when he wanted a Georgia Bulldog room. We painted the walls the bold red (his choice) but didn’t buy any other Bulldog decor items. We brought in the Bulldog theme with posters, jerseys, and stuffed Bulldog animals he already had.

3- Wall decals are amazing things! I can hear designers cringing right now, but I love them, especially for kids rooms. They are inexpensive, easy to change, and they make a huge impact in a space. Plus, they are great for renters, because they allow you to personalize the space without damaging the walls. I’ve used wall decals in both of my boys rooms.

4- Another thing that will make designers cringe- bed-in-a-bags. We used to pass by the character sets in Wal-Mart or Target and my boys would go crazy for them. If you had a neutral backdrop and only changed out a bed-in-a-bag, this would be extremely budget and time friendly, and make your child very happy with their themed space. They’re not terrible! Here’s a cute train one, a princess crown one, the most adorable woodland friends one for your animal loving child…in fact a whole page of options– just at Target.

5- I’ve fallen seriously in love with oversized wall tapestries! There are so many different options available, and they are super affordable. Beau wanted a huge American flag in his patriotic themed bedroom, and we were able to find an oversized American flag wall tapestry that looks amazing for a great price- and it would be another great option for renters.

5- Shop thrift stores, yard sales, and flea markets for accessories that put the finishing touch on the room. You’ll find so many options for lamps, wall decor, curtains, and even furniture that will cost so much less than retail!

6-If your child isn’t pushing for a character driven theme- congratulations! These are the most fun rooms to design! Here, really use color, pattern, and texture to your advantage- and look for the most budget friendly options you can find, since you aren’t limited to a character.

If you want to do a themed kids room- go for it! And remember, kids are usually pretty easy to please when it comes to decorating. Often, they don’t need an over the top themed room to be happy in their space.

Meet Beth

Mom, wife, nurse. Definitely not a professional designer, but I've learned a thing or two (and made plenty of mistakes) about design and DIY as I'm making a home our family loves. Check out my design and DIY galleries for inspiration for your next project! Read More…

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